Design for Social Change...

written by Rick Roeder IDSA
Designers create products and experiences for the human dimension...
Embedded in this process of design, is the objective to better our lives, and in doing so, better humanity. When we apply solutions toward social change, we incorporate this objective. The visual vocabulary of design creates a pathway to discussion, one that strengthens social relations. As Industrial designers, we use the newest technologies and resources available to open this doorway to dialogue.
When we think of social change, we think of activism and how it applies to the dynamics of communities, both locally and globally... We think of terms like involvement, education, participation, opportunity, and empowerment. We also think about how these objectives can be achieved, funded, and implemented. This course of thinking has sparked a new consciousness, especially within corporations, to think about how their products and services can apply to more green materials, recycling, repurposing and sustainability. And it’s this paradigm of thought that has sparked corporations to reciprocate with sponsorships for educational programs and funding for explorative ideation and development. This is validation of a new activism.
Equally important, are the designers, who develop the ‘mechanics of solution’ behind these movements... They use their skills to identify the need, determine barriers and behaviors then develop solutions thru explorative ideation, prod...